Keelin Shanley’s memoir A Light That Never Goes Out will be published by Gill Books on October 2.
The broadcaster was writing her memoir before she died from breast cancer in February.
Commissioning Editor of Gill Books, Deirdre Nolan said: “Keelin got in touch with me in December last year. She was nearing the end and strongly felt she wanted to leave a record of her life behind and we were honoured to help her do so. We put her together with writer Alison Walsh and she helped Keelin write a most extraordinary memoir. It is so rare to have such an insight into what someone who is facing death is thinking and feeling, and despite the gravity of the situation she was facing, through her writing Keelin has managed to capture the fleeting beauty of life in a way that is awe-inspiring and ultimately uplifting.”
Keelin writes about being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at the mere age of 51 in her moving memoir. Charting the twists and turns of both a remarkable career as an investigative journalist and a lengthy battle with cancer, A Light That Never Goes Out reveals with real honesty what it’s like to keep living life and having a career – right up to Keelin becoming a co-anchor of RTÉ’s Six One News – while dealing with the challenges of cancer treatment.
The title of the book is a play on the song, ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’ by The Smiths. They were one of her favourite bands when she first met her husband Conor Ferguson. Conor, who completed the last chapter of the book after Keelin passed away, said, “Keelin lived such an extraordinary life, she has left behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.
“Though we miss her every day and remember her in every moment, we hope that her remarkable story will inspire people to live life to the full and put the best foot forward, no matter what obstacles life presents.”
A Light That Never Goes Out will be published by Gill Books on Friday, 2 October 2020, priced at €19.99.
